Common Verbs and Their Variants

Compiled by Nathaniel Maxson
www.chichewagrammar.net

This is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all the verb forms possible with each verb.  Rather it is a listing of , I hope, enough of the common variations to show the way variants relate to the basic verb.  I am sure that much has been left out. You will notice definite patterns as you watch the verb change from active to passive, intransitive to transitive, concrete to possible, verb to noun, verb to ideophone, etc.  I'm sure you will also notice that there is quite a bit of irregularity in how the variation actually affects the meaning of the word; each word really must be learned on its own.  
Note that some of the root verbs themselves are no longer in use or are very rare.   An asterisk (*) after a word shows that that form is not very common.
Before every verb stem, I put the prefix “ku – ” which makes it infinitive or gerund (to walk or walking) so that you would get used to seeing each verb in a realistic form .  

Root	English Meaning	Common Modifications	
kuba	to steal	kubera – to steal from
kubedwa – to be stolen
kuberedwa – to be stolen from
mbabva –  thief, robber
mbala – thief, robber
umbabva – theft	
kubala	to give birth to, bear	kubalitsa –  to propagate
kubadwa – to be born
kubadwira – to be born at
chibaliro\zi – womb
chibalo\zi – result
chibadwa\zi – nature
chibadwidwe\zi – nature
mbadwa – citizen, native
mbadwo\mibadwo – generation
mbale\abale – relative, sibling of same gender
chibale\zi – state of being a relative
ubale\maubale – relationship	
kubatiza (from English)	to baptize	kubatizidwa – to be baptized
ubatizo – baptism
mbatizi\abatizi – baptist	
kubaya	to pierce, stab	kubayidwa – to be pierced
kubayira – to make holes for a purpose, ie. to plant or fertilize
chibayo – pneumonia
chibayiro\zi – stake, stabber	
kubereka	to give birth, carry on back	kubereketsa – to cause to bear
kuberekana – to reproduce much
kuberekera – to bear for
kuberekedwa – to be born, carried
chiberekero\zi – womb 	
kubiriwira	to be green	biriwiri – green (ideophone)	
kubisa	to hide something	kubisira – to hide something from someone
kubisika – to be hidden
chibisibisi\zi – secrecy	
kubisala	to hide oneself	kubisalika – to be hidden
kubisalira – to hide from	
kuboola	to pierce, push through	kubooka – to have a hole, be pierced ('it just happened')
kubooledwa – to be pierced, etc. (someone did it)
kubooleza – to drill, pierce into?
bowo\mabowo – hole
mbowo\mibowo – hole
chiboolera\zi – drill, thing that makes holes	
kuvala	to put on clothes	kuveka – to clothe someone else, to adorn, decorate someone
kuvekedwa – to be clothed by another, to be adorned
kuvula – to take clothes off 
kavalidwe\mavalidwe – fashion, way of wearing	
kuvina	to dance	kuvinidwa – to be initiated
kavinidwe\mabvinidwe  – way of dancing	
kuvoma*	to give assent, accept	kuvomera –  to accept, agree, give assent
kuvomereza – to confess
kuvomerezeka – to be proper, acceptable, approvable
chivomerezo\zi – agreement, confession
chisavomerezo\zi – disagreement	
kuvulala	to be injured, hurt	kuvulaza – to injure someone else
kuvulazidwa – to be injured	
kuvuta	to trouble, be troublesome	kuvutitsa – to cause trouble
kuvutika – to be troubled
vuto\mavuto – trouble, problem	
kubwera	to come	kubweretsa – to bring
kubweretsedwa – to be brought
kubweretsera – to bring to 
kubwetsa – to bring
kubwerera – to return
kubwereka – to borrow, lend
kubwereketsa – to lend, lease 
kubwereza – to repeat, do again
chibwereza\zi – repetition	
kubweza	1 to revenge; 2 restore; 3 give back	kubwezera – to take revenge
kubwezeretsa –  to give back, bring back
kubwezetsa – to cause to go back, to put back to former state
kubwezedwa – to be given back, restored	
kubzala  (alt. kudzala)	to plant	kubzalidwa – to be planted	
kucha (don't confuse with 'kutcha')	1 to become ripe, ripen; 2 to dawn	2 kuchera – to dawn at, on, for
2 Kwacha\Makwacha – money of Malawi and Zambia (meaning: it has dawned)	
kuchapa	to wash clothes	kuchapidwa – to be washed	
kuchedwa	to be late, be too late	kuchedwetsa – to delay someone
kuchedwetsedwa – to be delayed
kucheredwa – to be belated, made late	
kucheka	to cut into, cut person, animal, tree etc.; make incision; saw boards	kuchekera – to cut for a tattoo or medicine
kuchekedwa – to be cut into	
kuchenjera	to be clever, smart	kuchenjerera – to trick, get the better of
kuchenjeretsa –  to trick
kuchenjeretsedwa – to be tricked
kuchenjeretsetsa – to be very, very clever or tricky
kuchenjeza – to warn
chenjezo\machenjezo –warning	
kuchepa	to be few, little; to be too little or few	kuchepetsa – to make few or small, be too few or small
kuchepera – to be fewer, smaller	
kucheza	to chat, play, joke	kuchezera – to stay up all night doing something
kuchezerana – to chat together
kuchezetsa – to cheer up, entertain
kuchezeka – to be easy to talk to 
kuchereza – to cheer up, entertain, chat with
mchezo – any kind of kucheza, but especially all night	
kuchimwa	to sin	kuchimwira – to sin against
kuchimwitsa – to offend, cause to sin
tchimo\ machimo – sin	
kuchira	to recover, be healed	kuchiza – to heal
kuchiritsa – to heal
kuchiritsika – to be curable
kuchiritsidwa – to be healed
machiritso – healings (especially miraculous)
mchiritsi\achiritsi – healer 	
kuchita	to do	kuchititsa – to cause
kuchitira – to do to someone
kuchitika – to happen
kuchitidwa – to be done to someone
mchitidwe – way of acting
Machitidwe –  Acts (Bible)
machitachita – action
ntchito – work	
kuchoka	to leave, go away	kuchokera – to come from
kuchotsa – to remove, take away
machokero – leaving, reason for leaving	
kuchuluka	to be many, much	kuchulukira – to be more than, be too much for
kuchulukitsa – to make more
kuchulukana – to bear many offspring	
kuda	to be dark, black; hate	kudana – to hate each other
kudanitsa – to cause to hate each other
kuderera – to despise
kudetsa – to make dirty, black
kudetsedwa – to be made dirty
kudedwa – to be hated
mdani\adani – enemy
chidani\zi –  hatred, enmity
madedwe – blackness, dirtyness	
kudabwa	to wonder, be amazed	kudabwitsa – to be wonderful	
kudala	to be blessed	kudalitsa – to bless
kudalitsika – to be blessed
dalitso\madalitso – blessing
dalo\madalo – blessing
mdala\ madala –  familiar name for older man, plural form most common, singular is disrespectful	
kudalira	to rely on	kudalirika – to be reliable	
kudandaula	to complain	kudandaulira – to reprove, talk to about
dandaulo\madandaulo – complaint	
kudikira	to wait, wait for	kudikirira –  to wait for	
kudula	to cut, cut off	kudulidwa – to be cut
kuduka – to be cut
kudutsa – to pass by, through
kudulidwa – to be circumcised
mdulidwe – circumcision
mdulo – traditional taboos
chidule\zi – shortness, summary, shortcut
madulira – short cut
chidutswa\zi – scrap, broken piece
duka\maduka – broken piece of brick	
kudula	to be expensive	kudulitsa – to make expensive	
kudwala	to be sick	kudwalika – to be very sick
kudwalitsa – to make sick	
kudya	to eat	kudyetsa – to feed
kudyedwa – to be eaten
kudyerera – to feast, eat well
kudibwa – to be eaten
kujiwa –  to be eaten
kudyera – to eat from, off of
dyerero\madyerero – feast
chidyerano\zi – sharing food together
madyedwe –  diet, way of eating
dyera – selfishness, greediness	
kudza	to come	kudzetsa – to bring
kudzera – to go by, through	
kudzala	to fill, be full	kudzaza – to be full, fill	
kudziwa	to know	kudziwitsa – to let someone know
kudziwika – to be known
chidziwitso\zi – knowledge	
kudzola	to rub, smear, anoint oneself	kudzoza – to anoint, smear oil on another another
mdzodzo\midzodzo (mu mi) – big black ant that stinks	
kudzuka	to wake up	kudzutsa – to wake up someone
mdzukiro – breakfast
kadzutsa – breakfast	
kufa	to die	kufetsa –  to lose by death (anafetsa ana awiri –  two of his children died)
kufedwa – to be bereaved
kufera – to die for, on
imfa – death
namfedwa\anamfedwa – bereaved person	
kufana	to be similar to, resemble	kufanana – to resemble each other
kufanafana – to resemble
kufananitsa – to make similar
kufaniza – to compare
kufanizira – to stand for, represent
fanizo\mafanizo – parable, comparison (alt. faniziro)
fano\mafano – idol
chifanizo\zifanizo – image, representation (alt. chifaniziro)
chifanifani\zi – similar thing	
kufewa	to be soft, become soft	kufewetsa – to make soft	
kufika	to arrive	kufikitsa – to cause to arrive
kufikira – to come to	
kufulumira	to hurry, go fast, be early	kufulumiza – to hurry up someone else	
kufuna	to want, look for; to need	kufunira – to want for
kufunitsitsa – to want very badly
kufunafuna – to search for
kufunika – to be desirable, important
chifuniro\zifuniro – desire, will
mafuno – wishes, desires	
kufunsa	to ask	kufunsira – to ask for (kufunsira mbeta – to ask for marriage)
funso\mafunso – question	
kufupika	to be short, near	kufupikitsa – to make short
kufupikira – to be close to 
kufupikirana – to be close to each other
chifupikitso\zi –  summary, abbreviation, shortened thing
-fupi (adj. w\ double prefix) – short
pafupi – near, close 
lifupi – width (short side)	
kuganiza	to think	kuganizira – to think about, consider
ganizo\maganizo – thought
chiganizo\ziganizo – sentence, complete thought	
kugawa	to share, divide	kugawana – to share with each other
kugawikana – to be divided (alt. gawanika)
gawo\magawo – section
chigawo\zigawo – section
kugawira – to share	
kugaya	to grind, digest	kugayitsa – to have maize ground at mill
kugayidwa – to be ground
chigayo\zigayo – maize mill
mgaiwa – whole maize flour	
kugogoda	to knock	gogogo – ideophone for 'knocking'	
kugona	to lay down; to sleep	kugonetsa – to cause one to lie down
kugonera – to sleep on
kugoneka – to lay something flat, put someone to sleep, admit in hospital
(a)li chigonere – to be very sick, bed-ridden
mgonero\migonero – dinner, supper, Holy Communion (religious)
gone – ideophone, lying down	
kugula	to buy, buy from	kugulitsa – to sell
kugulira – to buy for (not from)
kugulidwa – to be bought
kugudwa – to be bought
kugulitsidwa – to be sold
kugulika – to be cheap	
kugunda	to bump, hit, thunder	kugundana – to collide, hit each other
kugundika – to take place, be in full swing (party, event, etc.)	
kugwa	to fall	kugwetsa – to knock down, cause to fall
kugwera – to fall on
chigwa\zi – valley, low place	
kugwira	to catch, hold, touch    	kugwira ntchito – to work
kugwiritsa ntchito – to use
kugwiritsidwa ntchito – to be used
kugwirika – to be done
kugwirira ntchito –  to work for
kugwiritsitsa – to hold on tight
kugwirana – to hold each other
kugwirizana – to work together, cooperate
kugwirizira – to support
kugwirira – to rape
chigwiriro\zi – handle
mgwirizano\migwirizano – a union
chigwirizano\zi – cooperation, agreement
magwiragwira – thievery, theft (munthu wa magwiragwira)	
kuika	to put, place	kuikira mazira – to lay eggs	
kuima	to stand	kuimira – to stand for, represent
kuimirira – to stand up
kuimika – to set upright
kuimitsa – to stop something or someone	
kuipa	to be bad	kuipitsa – to defile, make dirty, bad
kuipitsitsa – to be very bad
kuipitsidwa – to be defiled, made dirty, bad
kuipidwa – to be offended, disgusted	
kuitana	to invite, call	kuitanitsa – to order something
kuitanidwa – to be called, invited
kuitanira malonda – to advertise
maitanidwe –  calling; callings	
kuiwala	to forget	kuiwalira – to forget temporarily, have something slip your mind	
kukayika	to doubt	kukayikitsa – to be doubtful
kukayikira – to be unsure, doubtful about something
kukayikika – to be doubtful
chikayiko\zi – doubt	
kukalamba	to grow old	nkhalamba – elderly person	
kukamba	to talk, speak about	kukambidwa – to be said, be spoken
kukambirana – to discuss with another
kakambidwe\ makambidwe  – way of speaking	
kukana	to refuse, deny	kukanika – to fail
kukanidwa – to be refused
kukanirira – to stick to
kukanitsitsa – to utterly deny or refuse
kukaniza – to resist, prevent	
kukhala	to be, sit, stay	kukhalitsa – to stay for long time, put
kukhalira – to stay at, sit on
kukhalidwa – to be lived in (of a house), to be sat on (of a chair)
khalidwe\makalidwe – way of being or doing (characteristic, custom, character, attribute, etc.)
mkhalidwe – way of being or doing
chikhalidwe\zi – way of being or doing
mkhalakale\a –  (or chikhalakale\zi) old member, someone settled for very long time
mkhalapakati\a – mediator, go-between
chikhaliro\zi – that on which something rests or sits, bottom, base, support	
kukhazika	to settle something down, establish	kukhazikika – to be established, settled
kukhazikitsa – to establish, settle down s – thing
chikhazikiko\zi – assurance, stability
chikhazikitso\zi – an assuring thing	
kukhudza	to touch	kukhudzana – to touch each other, relate, have to do with	
kukhulupira*	to believe	kukhulupirira – to believe, believe in
kukhulupirika – to be faithful, trustworthy
kukhulupiridwa – to be believed
chikhulupiriro\zi – faith, belief, creed	
kukhumudwa	to be offended	kukhumudwitsa – to offend
khumu – (ideophone) offended	
kukhuta	to be full, satisfied	kukhutitsa – to satisfy
kukhutira – to be full of, satisfied with
mkhuto –  fullness, satisfaction	
kukola	to trap, catch, snag	kukoleka – to hang something on
kukoleza moto – to start a fire
kukolera – to be salty, sweet
kukoleretsa – to make salty
kukodwa –  to be caught, snagged
chikoka\zi – attraction, appeal
chikole\zi – gift given to obligate a return gift; pledge	
kukoma	to be good, nice, sweet	kukomera – to please, be nice for
kukometsa – to make better, spice up, beautify
chikometsero\zi – decoration
chikometsamlandu\zi –  bribe, corruption at court	
kukonda	to love	kukondera – to prefer, be partial toward
kukondedwa – to be loved 
kukondeka – to be loved
kukondana – to love each other
chikondi\zi – love
chikondano\zi –  love, mutual love	
kukondwa	to be happy, glad	kukondwera – to be happy glad
kukondwerera – to be happy, glad
kukondweretsa –  to please, make happy
kukondweretsedwa – to be pleased, happy
chikondwerero\zi –  joy, happiness	
kukonza	to prepare, repair	kukonzeka – to be prepared, repaired
kukonzekera – to get ready
chikonzekero\zi – preparation, readiness
chikonzero\zi – plan, preparation, decision
Chikonzedwe cha Mpingo –  the Reformation
kakonzedwe\makonzedwe – method of preparation
mkonzi\akonzi –  editor	
kukula	to grow, be large	kukulira – to be larger than
kukulitsa – to make larger
ukulu – size, greatness
-kulu – double prefix adjective, big, large
mkulu\akulu – older sibling, elder, great ones	
kukumbuka	to remember, call to mind	kukumbukira – to remember
kukumbutsa – to remind
kukumbutsira – to remind
kukumbukirika – to be memorable
kukumbukiritsidwa – to be reminded
chikumbukiro\zi – memory, remembrance
chikumbumtima\zi – conscience, memory
chikumbutso\zi –  reminder, memorial; memorial ceremony for dead	
kukwana	to be enough, suffice, be satisfied	kukwaniritsa – to fulfill
kukwaniritsidwa – to be fulfilled
kukwanira – to be enough for	
kukwata*	to have marriage relations	kukwatitsa – to have the wedding ceremony
kukwatira – to marry (of man)
kukwatirana – to marry each other
kukwatiwa –  to be married (of woman)
ukwati\maukwati – marriage, wedding
chikwati\zikwati – marriage, wedding
mkwatibwi\akwatibwi – bride
mkwati\akwati – bridegroom	
kukwera	to climb, ascend	kukweza – to lift up, raise
makwerero – ladder, steps
chikwera\zi – elevation	
kukwiya	to be angry	kukwiyitsa – to make one angry
kukwiyira – to be angry at
mkwiyo – anger, wrath	
kulakwa	to do wrong	kulakwira – to do wrong to
kulakwitsa – to be mistaken, in language, math, etc.
kulakwika – to be imperfect, mistaken, faulty	
kulalika	to proclaim, preach	kulalikira – to preach, proclaim
kulalikidwa – to be preached, proclaimed
mlaliki\alaliki – preacher
ulaliki\maulaliki – sermon, preaching	
kulamula	to give an order, command	kulamulira – to rule, command
kulamuliridwa – to be ruled, governed
lamulo\malamulo – law, commandment
chilamulo – law
ulamuliro\maulamuliro –  authority, rulership 
mlamuliri\alamuliri – ruler, dictator
mlamu\alamu – in-law (brother or sister of one's spouse)	
kulanda	to take away, snatch from	kulandira – to receive
kulanditsa – to rescue
kulandiritsa – to distribute
kulandidwa – to be stolen, taken away	
kulanga	to punish, instruct	kulangiza – to instruct
langizo\malangizo – instruction, advice
lango\malango – advice
chilango\zilango – punishment
mlangizi\alangizi – instructor, advisor	
kulankhula	to speak, talk	kuyankhula (alt. spelling)
kulankhulira – to talk to
kalankhulidwe\malankhulidwe –  way of speaking
chilankhulo\zilankhulo – language	
kuleka	to leave something, stop doing something	kulekerera – to ignore, not worry about, condone
kulekeza – to stop at, border on
kuleketsa – to separate
malekezero – borders, ends
malekano – split in road, junction
kuletsa – to forbid, hinder
kuletsedwa – to be forbidden, hindered	
kulema*	to be burdened, tired	kulemera – to be heavy, rich
kulemetsa – to be tiring, make tired, make weary
kulemeretsa – to make rich, heavy
kulemekeza – to honour, respect
kulemekezedwa – to be honoured, respected
kulemekezeka – to be honourable 
ulemu\maulemu – honour, respect
ulemerero\maulemerero – glory
chilemekezo\zi –  honour, exaltation	
kulemba	to write	kulembetsa – to register
kulembera – to write to
kulembedwa – to be written
lemba\malemba – letter, writing, scripture
lembo\malembo – letter, writing, scripture
chilembo\zi –  letter, character
kalembera\akalembera – census
kalembedwe\malembedwe – way of writing, hand-writing 	
kulenga	to create	kulengedwa – to be created
kulengera – to create for
kalengedwe\malengedwe – way of being created
chilengedwe\zi – nature, natural
Mlengi\Alengi – Creator
Namalenga\Anamalenga – Creator
mlengalenga –  sky, atmosphere	
kulima	to hoe, cultivate, grow (as in 'grow cabbage')	kulimitsa – to hire someone to hoe
kulimira – to hoe for
kulimidwa – to be cultivated
ulimi\maulimi – agriculture, farming
mlimi\alimi – farmer
kalimidwe\malimidwe – way of hoeing, cultivating
chilimwe – hot, dry season when hoeing is done	
kulimba	to be hard, firm, strong	kulimbana – to struggle with, to discuss, argue
kulimbitsa – to make strong
kulimbika – to be diligent
kulimbikira – to be diligent in something, courageous
kulimbikitsa – to encourage, make courageous
ulimbo – glue made from tree sap
chilimbikitso\zi –  strength, encouragement, support	
kulinga*	 to measure, to aim at, to indicate (?)	kulingana –  to equal, be similar
kulinganiza –  to compare, balance
malingana ndi  –  (adverb) since, according to, seeing as
malinga ndi –  same as above
kulingirira – to consider
malingiliro – consideration
mlingo\milingo – measurement, size
cholinga\zolinga – aim, goal, purpose	
kulipira	to pay	kulipirira – to pay in place of
kulipiritsa –  to charge, demand money, fine
dipo – price, court fine
malipiro – pay for work	
kulira	to cry	kulirira – to cry for
kuliritsa – to cry much, loudly
kuliza – to blow trumpet, whistle
maliro – funeral, mourning	
kulola	to allow	kuloleza – allow
kuloledwa – be allowed
chilolezo\zi – permission	
kulonjeza	to promise	lonjezo\malonjezo – promise
lonjezano\malonjezano – promise, mutual agreement
chilonjezo\zi – promise	
kulowa	to enter	kulowana – to live together without marriage
kulowerana – to mix with each other, enter into each other
kuloweza – to memorize
kulowera – to go a certain place or direction
kulowetsa – to put in
kulowerera – to go prodigal, loose 
lowu –  (ideophone) signifies entering
mlowam'malo – pronoun, substitute, successor	
kuluma	to bite	kulumidwa – to be bitten
kulumana – to bite each other
kulumikiza –  to connect
kulumikizana –  to connect to each other
mlumikizi\alumikizi –  mediator, go-between; conjunction	
kulungama	to be just, righteous	kulungamitsa –  to justify
kulungamitsidwa –  to be justified
chilungamo\zi – righteousness, justice	
kumaliza	to finish, end	kumalizira – to finish at
kumalizika – to be finished
kumalizitsa – to totally finish off
chimaliziro\zi –  ending
mamaliziro – end, consequence, result	
kumanga	to tie, tighten, arrest, build	kumangira – to tie up with
kumangana –  to stick together
kumangika –  to be tied up, tightened, restrained
kamangidwe\mamangidwe – way of building, tying
chimangirizo\zi – composition, essay	
kumasula	to loosen, untie	kumasulira – to interpret
kumasulidwa –  to be loosened
kumasuka – to be loosened, feel free
kamasulidwe\mamasulidwe –  interpretation	
kumera	to germinate, sprout	mmera – sprout
chimera\zi –  sprouted grains for beverages	
kumenya	to hit, beat, fight; to play ball, any other game; to do, engage in	kumenyetsa – to beat much
kumenyera – to fight for
kumenyana – to fight each other	
kumva	to hear, understand, feel	kumvera – to obey, feel for
kumvetsa – to understand
kumvetsera – to listen to
kumvetsetsa – to understand completely
kumveka – to be audible
kumvana – to agree, understand each other
chimvano\zi – alliance, league, concord
mvano – agreement, league
mvekero – ideophone (alt. mvetsero)
mwa chimvemvemve – clearly	
kumwa	to drink	kumwera – to drink with (bread with tea, etc.)
kumwetsa – to give drink, make one drink
kumwedwa – to be drunk (of drink, not drunkard!)
chakumwa\za – drink	
kunama	to lie	kunamiza – to deceive
kunamizana – to deceive each other
kunamizira – to pretend; accuse, slander	
kunena	to say, talk about	kuneneza – to accuse
kunenetsa –  to say bad about s.one
kunenedwa –  to be talked about, said
kuneneka –  to be able to be said
kunenera – to speak for, prophesy
chinenero\zi –  language
mneneri\aneneri – prophet
mneni\aneni – verb
kanenedwe\manenedwe – way of speaking, saying (alt. chinenedwe)	
kung'amba	to tear	kung'ambika – to be torn, ripped
kung'ambira – to tear the thing of someone (ex. Wanding'ambira zobvala.  He has torn my clothes.)
chigamba\zigamba – patch
ng'amba – dry spell, drought	
kununkha	to stink, smell bad	kununkhiza – to sniff, smell
kununkhira – to smell good	
kunyada	to be proud	kunyadira –  to be proud of 
manyado – pride, boasting	
kunyamula	to carry on something, carry	kunyamuka – to leave, go	
kunyansa	to be filthy, disgusting; to make one feel disgusted	kunyansitsa –  to make dirty, disgusting
kunyansidwa –  to be turned off, disgusted
nyansi – filthy things	
kunyenga	to deceive	kunyengerera – to trick, cheat; to entice, appease child with something
kunyengeza – to deceive
nyenga\anyenga –  deceiver; mongoose
chinyengo\zinyengo – deceit	
kunyoza	to despise	kunyozedwa – to be despised
kunyozera –  to ignore; disregard
kunyozeka –  to be despicable; be of no repute, be small and inconspicuous
kunyozetsa – to talk bad to, about; to disparage	
kuocha	to burn, roast	kuochera – to weld
kuochedwa – to be burnt	
kuoloka	to cross over (road, river)	kuolokera – to cross over to
kuolotsa – to take over to the other side	
kuomba	to hit, beat, sound, shoot	kuombedwa –  to be hit, sounded, shot, etc.
kuombeza maula –  cast lots, divine, magically discover something through sing'anga
kuombera – to shoot at
kuomberana – to shoot each other	
kuona	to see, be true	kuonetsa – to show
kuoneka – to be visible
kuonera – to attend, look at
kuonetsera – to show to someone
kuonetsetsa – to make sure
kuonana – to see each other
kuonekera –  to stick out, be obvious; to appear to
maonekedwe – appearance
chionetsero\zi – show, showing off	
kuongola	to make straight	kuongoleka –  to be made straight, straightened
kuongoledwa – to be made straight
kuongoka – to be straight
kuongolera –  to direct in a straight way, drive 
chiongolero\zi –  steering wheel
chiongoladzanja – interest (money)	
kuononga	to destroy, waste	kuonongeka – to be destroyed
chionongeko\zionongeko – destruction	
kuopa	to fear	kuopana – to fear each other
kuopera – to hold back for fear of
kuopetsa – to cause to fear	
kuopsya (alt. kuopsa)	to be frightening, dreadful	kuopsyeza – to frighten, threaten, or act fierce
kuopsyedwa – to be frightened, made to fear	
kupala	to scrape, smooth; to make friends	kupalana –  to make friends with each other
kupalira – to weed in the garden
kupalidwa chibwenzi –  to be betrothed
kaphalephale  – weeding	
kupambana	to be greater, do greater, win, excell	kupambanitsa –  to make to win, excell
chipambano\zi –  victory, excellence
mphambano –crossroads	
kupanga	to make, to do	kupangitsa –  to make to do
kupangidwa –  to be made, done
kupangira –  to advise someone, to make with, to do to
kupangana –  to agree
kupangika – to happen, be done
chipangano\zi – agreement, covenant
pangano\mapangano – agreement, covenant
kapangidwe\mapangidwe – way of doing, making 
chipangizo\zi –  tool, instrument	
kupatsa	to give to	kupatsira –  to give to for a little time, to give to someone through another
kupatsirana – to be contagious
kupatsidwa – to be given
chipatso\zipatso – fruit
mphatso –  gift	
kupemba*	to implore, beg, honour	kupembedza – to worship, do religious acts
kupembedzera –  to worship, worship for
chipembedzo\zi – religion, worship	
kupempha	to ask for something; to beg from	kupemphera – to pray
kupempherera – to pray for
pempho\mapempho – plea, request
pemphero\mapemphero – prayer, religious things	
kupereka	to offer, give	kuperekeza – to accompany
kuperekedwa – to be offered, given up	
kupeza	to find	kupezeka – to be found, available
kupezera – to find for	
kupha	to kill	kuphera –  to kill with, for, etc.
kuphana –  to kill each other
kuphetsa –  to cause to die indirectly
kupheka – to be killable	
kuphika	to cook, boil	kuphikira – to cook for
kuphikika –  to be fully cooked
kuphikidwa – to be cooked (especially boiled)
mphika\miphika – pot for cooking ndiwo	
kuphunzira	to learn	kuphunzitsa –  to teach
kuphunzitsidwa –  to be taught
phunziro\ maphunziro – lesson
chiphunzitso\zi – teaching, doctrine	
kupinda	to bend	kupindika – to be bent	
kupindula	to gain, earn profit	kupindulitsa –  to profit, make richer
kupindulira – be profitable, be profitable because of
phindu\mapindu – profit	
kupita	to go	kupititsa – to put through, make go
kupitirira – to go on
kupitiriza – to continue
mpita\mipita – small path of animal	
kuponda	to step on, tread on	kupondereza –  to oppress
kupondedwa –  to be stepped on
chipondero\zi –  sole of foot, hoof
mpondamakwacha – very rich person	
kuposa	to excel, be more than	kuposera – to go beyond a certain point or person	
kupsya (kupsa)	to be ripe, cooked	kupsyerera –  to be burned, like food; charred; to be burned by sun or fertilizer
kupsyereza –  to burn, char something
chipsyera\zi –  scar; burn	
kupulumutsa	to save	kupulumuka – to be saved
chipulumutso – salvation	
kupuma	to breathe , rest	kupumula –  to rest
kupumulira – to rest, take a break
mpumulo – rest
phuma –  nervousness, being out of breath; sometimes used for asthma
mphumu (or mphumo) –  asthma 	
kupweteka	to hurt, cause pain; to feel pain	kupweteketsa –  to cause injury, cause to hurt
kupwetekedwa – to be hurt	
kusakaniza	to mix up	kusakanizika – to be mixed up	
kusamala	to care for, to heed	kusamalira – to care for
kusamalitsa – to be very careful of, care diligently for
chisamaliro\zi –  care	
kusamba	to bathe, wash self	kusambitsa – to wash another, wash a part of the body
kusambira – to swim
kusambitsidwa – to be washed
chisambiro\zi – sponge, thing to wash with	
kusanduka	to be changed into, to change self into	kusandulika – be changed, transformed into
kusandutsa – to transform, change into	
kusangalala	to be happy, pleased	kusangalatsa – to please, make happy
kusangalatsidwa – to be made happy, pleased
chisangalalo\zi – happiness, joy
msangala – happiness	
kusankha	to choose	kusankhika – to be chosen
kusankhidwa – to be chosen
kusankhira – to choose because of , for
kusankhula – to choose, distinguish, etc.
chisankho\zi – choice, election, vote
tsankho – prejudice, partiality	
kusauka	to be poor, suffer	kusautsa – to trouble, make poor, persecute
kusaukira – to be poor, suffer because of
kusautsidwa – to be persecuted, caused to suffer, be poor
nsautso – suffering
masautso – suffering
chisautso\zi – suffering	
kusazika	to say goodbye	kusazikana – to say goodbye to each other
kusazikira – to say goodbye for another	
kusefuka	to overflow	kusefukira – to flood, overflow banks	
kuseka	to laugh at	kusekera – be glad, rejoice, smile
kusekerera – to be glad, smile, be full of happiness
kuseketsa – be funny, causing to laugh
kusekedwa – to be laughed at	
kusesa	to sweep	kusesera – to sweep for
kusesedwa – to be swept	
kusewera	to play	kuseweretsa –  to play with, mess around with
masewera –  game, games, play
sewero\masewero – game, play	
kusinja	to pound to pieces	kusinjirira – to slander, accuse
nsinjiro – peanut powder	
kusintha	to change something or someone, switch out	kusinthika – to be changed
kusinthana –  to exchange places with another person
kusinthanitsa – to trade out one thing with another
kusinthitsa – to cause a change	
kusirira	to covet, want badly	kusiririka – to be desirable
chisiriro – covetousness	
kusiya	to leave, abandon	kusiyira – to leave something with someone
kusiyirana – to pass on tradition, customs, etc.
kusiyidwa – to be left
kusiyana – to be different
kusiyanitsa – to differentiate, compare
-a masiye – orphaned, widowed, bereaved	
kusochera (alt. kusokera)	to get lost	kusocheretsa – to make to get lost
kusocheretsedwa – to be led astray	
kusokoneza	to confuse, interrupt	kusokonekera – to be confused, interrupted, disturbed
kusokonezeka – to be confused, etc.
kusokonezedwa – to be confused, etc.
chisokonezo\zi – confusion, interruption	
kusonkha	to gather, collect	kusonkheza –  to gather together materials
kusonkhana – to gather together, meet together
kusonkhanitsa – to bring together a meeting
msonkhano\misonkhano – meeting
msonkho\misonkho – tax	
kusowa	to lack, be lost, missing	kusoweka – be needed
kusowetsa – to cause to be missing
kusowekera – to miss, lack, need	
kusunga	to keep, keep safely	kusungitsa – to entrust with, to make to keep
kusungira – to keep for
kusungidwa – to be kept
kusungiza –  to entrust, etc.
kusungana – to keep each other	
kuswa	to shatter something, break something (Refers to pottery, glass, and other like things.  Kuthyola refers to things like sticks, etc.); bear young (animals)	kusweka – be broken, shattered
kuswana – bear many children

kutalika	to be tall, far	kutalikitsa –  to make tall, far
kutalikira –  to be too tall, far; be taller than; go far
kutalikirana –  to be far from each other
-tali – (double prefix adjective) long
patali, kutali – far away
litali – length	
kutanthauza	to mean, signify	kutanthauzira – to interpret, show meaning
tanthauzo\matanthauzo – meaning, interpretation
mtanthauziramawu – dictionary	
kutaya	to throw away, lose	kutayika – to be lost 
kutayirira –  to go all the way in sin, wickedness, etc.
chitayiko\zi – lostness, perdition
mtayo\mitayo – miscarried baby 
chitayo\zi –  abortion, miscarriage; miscarried baby	
kutcha	1 to name; 2 to pick fruit; 3 to set (trap, alarm, etc.)	1 kutchula – to name, pronounce
1 kutchuka – to be famous, well – known
1 kutchedwa – to be called, named
1 kutchulira – to pronounce
4 kutchera – to set trap, alarm, etc. for something
4 kutcheredwa –  to be set
4 matchera –  trap, noose
4 tcheru – (ideophone) attentive wide awake	
kutembenuka	to turn around, be turned around	kutembenukira – to be turned toward
kutembenuza – to turn someone or something around	
kutenga	to take	kutengana – to resemble each other, pick one another
kutengera ndi – depending on
kutengedwa –  to be taken
kutengeka – to be taken, attracted, busy
chitengero\zi –  vessel, carrier
chitengwa\zi – 1 taking wife to stay with man's family; 2 the process of doing that; 3 the Chewa system that normally requires the man to stay at wife's home village	
kutentha	to be hot, burn something	kutenthetsa – to make hot
kutenthedwa – be burned, be lit on fire	
kutha	1 to be able, can; 2 finish, be used up	kuthetsa –  to get rid of, cause to be gone
kutheka – to be a possibility
kuthedwa –  to use up, or lack (ndathedwa nzeru –  I don't know what to do)
kuthera – 1 to finish or be used up in relation to someone (zandithera – I don't have any left, they finished in relation to me); 2 to land, of a bird
kuthana – to be finished in relation to each other, to complete a transaction, to be free from each other, to finish a relationship
mathero – borders, furthest extents, end	
kuthamanga	to run	kuthamangitsa – to chase
kuthamangira – to run for, to	
kuthandiza	to help, assist	kuthandizana – to help each other
kuthandizidwa – to be helped
chithandizo\zi –  help, aid, assistance
mthandizi\athandizi – helper	
kuthawa	to run away from, escape from	kuthawitsa – to chase away
kuthawira – to run away to
kuthawitsidwa – to be chased away	
kuthira	to pour	kuthirira – to pour on, to irrigate, to water
kuthiridwa – to have something poured on it (chimanga chathiridwa feteleza –  the maize has had fertilizer applied to it)	
kuthokoza	to thank	kuthokozera – to thank instead of 
kuthokozedwa – to be thanked
chithokozo\zi – thanks	
kuthyola	to break (a stick or bone); to pick (a fruit)	kuthyolera – to pick for
kuthyoka – to be broken
kuthyoledwa – to be picked	
kutola	to pick up and carry along	kutolera – to pick up here and there
kutoledwa –  to be picked up
matola –  transport
mtolo\mitolo – bundle, burden
mtolankhani\atolankhani –  reporter	
kutopa	to be tired, weary	kutopetsa – to be wearisome, make tired	
kutsala	to be left behind	kutsalira –  be left over, stay behind	
kutsanzira	to copy, follow, imitate	chitsanzo\zi – example	
kutsata	to follow	kutsatira – to follow after, be after, result
kutsatana – to follow each other
mwa tsatanetsatane – in order	
kutsegula	to open	kutseguka – to be open, opened
kutsegulira – to open for	
kutseka	to close	kutsekera –  to lock someone or something up
kutsekeka – to be closed
kutsekereza – to block,  intercept
chitseko\zi – door	
kutsika	to go down, descend	kutsikira – to go down to 
kutsitsa – to bring down, make go down	
kutsiriza	to finish, to end	kutsirizika –  to be finished off, finished , done
tsirizo\matsirizo – end, finish	
kutsogola	to go before, in front	kutsogolera – to lead
kutsogoza – to put in front, direct
mtsogoleri\atsogoleri – leader
tsogolo – ahead, future	
kutsutsa	to condemn, argue against, refute	kutsutsana – to argue, disagree
kutsutsidwa – to be convicted, condemned, to be reproved
kutsutsika – be refutable
tsutsano\matsutsano – argument
mtsutso\mitsutso – debate, argument
mtsutsi\atsutsi –  objector, opposer	
kutuluka	to exit, go out	kutulukira – to go out by
kutulutsa – to put out, make to go out	
kutuma	to send somebody	kutumiza – to send something (not usually a person)
kutumidwa – to be sent (of person)
kutumizidwa –  to be sent (of thing)
kutumikira – to serve
mtumiki\atumiki – servant, minister
utumiki\mautumiki – servanthood, ministry
mtumwi\atumwi – apostle	
kuwala	to shine	kuwalira – to shine on
waliwali (ideophone) – shining	
kuwerenga	to read, count	kuwerengera – to account to 
kuwerengeka – to be few
chiwerengero\zi –  number, count of something
werengero\mawerengero –  items used for counting exercises in schools
muwerengi\awerengi – reader	
kuweruka	to finish work or school for the day and go home	kuwerutsa – to send home from school, work; to come to school or work, etc., just when the other people are leaving	
kuweruza	to judge	kuweruzika – to be admonishable (alt. kuyeruzika)
kuweruzidwa – to be judged
chiweruzo\zi – judgment
chiweruziro\zi – judgment	
kuyaka	to be lit, start burning, burn	kuyatsa – to light, start a fire	
kuyala	to spread out something, lay out	kuyalika – to be spread
kuyalula – to roll back up	
kuyamba	1 to start, be first; 2 pick a fight against someone	1 kuyambitsa – to start something
1 kuyambira – to begin, be at the beginning, start from
1 kuyambika – to be started
1 yambiriro\mayambiriro – beginning
1 chiyambi –  beginning
2 kuyambana – to fight each other	
kuyamika	to thank, praise, exalt	kuyamikira – to appreciate, to praise a person
yamiko\mayamiko – praise 	
kuyandikira	to approach, to come near	kuyandikana – to be near each other (alt. kuyandikirana)
kuyandikiza – to bring close	
kuyang'ana	to look at, to look	kuyang'anira – to look into, investigate, supervise, deal with
kuyang'anitsa – to cause one to look at
kuyang'anitsitsa – to look at very closely
kuyang'anizana – to face each other	
kuyanja*	to fit, to be suitable	kuyanjana – to fellowship, to work together
kuyanjanitsa – to reconcile, make to work together
chiyanjano\zi – fellowship, concord
chiyanjanitso\zi –  thing that reconciles, reconciliation	
kuyankha	to answer	kuyankhidwa – to be answered
yankho\mayankho – answer	
kuyembekeza	to expect, to hope	kuyembekezera – to expect something, to be pregnant, to wait for
kuyembekezeka – to be possible, expected
chiyembekezo\zi – hope, expectation	
kuyenda	to travel, walk	kuyendetsa – to drive, to move, to cause to go
kuyendera – 1 to visit; 2 to move because of, by the power of (Galimoto iyi imayendera petulo.  This car runs on petrol.)
kuyenderana –  to go together, to visit each other 
mwendo\miyendo – leg
mlendo\alendo – traveler, stranger
ulendo\maulendo – journey
mayendedwe –  movement, way of walking, travelling
chilendo – strangeness, foreignness	
kuyenera	to be worthy, to be fitting, must, should	kuyenereza –  to qualify, make proper
	
kuyera	to be white, light, cleared, holy	kuyeretsa – to clean, make white; to clear; make holy; sanctify
kuyeretsedwa – to be made white, etc.
chiyero – holiness, purity
chiyeretso –  sanctification	
kuyerekeza	to imagine; to guess; to compare	kuyerekezera – to compare, signify
chiyerekezo\zi –  assumption, imagination, guess	
kuyesa	to try, measure; to consider to be	kuyesetsa – to try hard
kuyesedwa – to be tried, measured; to be thought of as
kuyesera – to test, tempt; to try more
mayeso –  test, exam
yesero\mayesero – temptation, testing
muyeso – measurement, standard, size, limit	
kuzindikira	to recognize, know, realize	kuzindikiritsa – to cause one to know, recognize
chizindikiro\zi – sign, mark
chizindikiritso\zi – assurance	
kuzizira	to be cold	kuziziritsa – to make cold
kuzizidwa – to be chilled	
kuzolowera	to become used to	kuzoloweretsa – to make to be accustomed
kuzoloweza – to make to be accustomed
chizolowezi\zi – habit, custom	
kuzungulira	to go around, surround; to rotate, go around and around	kuzunguza – to confuse someone, make to go around
chizungulire –  dizziness	
kuzunza	to afflict, cause pain to	kuzunzika –  to suffer, be afflicted
kuzunzidwa – to be persecuted, made to suffer
mazunzo – affliction, suffering